Check seat61.com for insights - have not taken it but have seen it and its vintage carriages. Topping for others to see.

What did I think of what exactly? It is an experience but having been on lots of excursion trains in California and England it was not all that remarkable 'train wise'. The route is truly lovely -- but just as lovely by car (the tracks and road traverse more or less the same route) or by regular train. I have also seen it when I timed my arrival (driving) at Glenfinan to be able to photograph the Jacobite crossing the viaduct. That was super.

The main problem with the Jacobite is you can't use it as 'transport' from point to point but have to do the return journey back to Ft William so it eats up an entire day. Leaves Ft William around 10AM and returns 4PM with 90 minutes in Mallaig -- that can be a LONG time on a train. The late train leaves Ft William @ 2:30 - returns @ 8:30PM

Driving the route lets you 1) see the train under steam crossing the viaduct and at other viewpoints 2) lets you stop at other gorgeous views, and 3) lets you proceed on to Skye on the ferry. . . . but driving doesn't have the 'romance' of the train . . .

>>Also, I wanted to know if views from the train were really only to be appreciated that way.<<

Nope -- that drive is really pretty - take a look at this:

and these still from the same site . . . https://www.zigzagonearth.com/road-t...nd/#tab-con-12